Sheriff’s Blotter

A deputy followed up on a report that had been brought into the lobby of the Sheriff’s Department concerning a lost Visa debit card. He spoke with the card owner who stated that 3 days earlier, she had taken her niece and nephew to the Dolores river to let them play in the water, and noticed on her way back to her residence that she had lost the card, probably on Riverside Ave. between 6th and 7th Streets in Dolores. The deputy found that as of one day after she lost the card, it had been used 6 times: at a Rico liquor store in the amount of $74.91; at Walmart in Cortez for $47.18; at Giant Gas Station for $105.00; again at Walmart in Cortez for $47.18; and the 5th and 6th transactions were also at Walmart for $166.71 and $48.76. The victim is working with her bank on the matter. Further investigation is pending.

THURSDAY, JUNE 14

A deputy responded to a location in Dolores in reference to a report of a dog bite. He met with a woman who reported that two women she works with had decided to walk to the river, and while walking past a residence, one of the women walked up against the chain link fence with a dog behind it. When she brushed up against the fence, the dog stood up on its back legs and bit her right arm just below the shoulder, causing a bruise, but not breaking the skin. The deputy contacted the dog’s owner who said that he believed that his dog’s vaccinations were current and that he keeps his dog in the fenced yard or in the house at all times. The deputy contacted the Health Department who advised that they would contact the dog owner to initiate standard procedure of quarantining the dog and would remain in contact with the owner to notify him of any findings. No charges were pursued against the dog owner, as his dog did not violate any town or county ordinances.

SATURDAY, JUNE 16

A deputy was dispatched to respond to the area of a possible drunk driver who ran his vehicle off a rural road into a ditch and was trying to leave the scene. The vehicle and driver were identified, and the driver was known from prior contacts. The deputy was advised that the vehicle had left the scene and was heading towards Cortez. Believing the driver was trying to make it home to his residence, the deputy headed there, and observed the suspect’s vehicle accelerate down the driveway to the residence, creating heavy dust in the air. The vehicle came to an abrupt stop and the suspect exited the vehicle. The suspect told the deputy that he had been coming from a friend’s house after drinking all night and swerved to miss a deer, and ran off the road into a ditch and wrecked the vehicle. He stated that an unknown male had helped him out of the ditch and then began to follow him. The suspect kept making the statement “I (expletive) up, I (expletive) up,” and began to cry. The suspect failed voluntary roadside maneuvers and was placed into custody and charged with driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs, or both.

A deputy observed a vehicle in front of him with a white light coming from the area of the rear license plate. He made contact with the female driver, a juvenile passenger and a male passenger. The deputy could smell a strong odor of marijuana in the car. The female driver was asked to step to the rear of the car to speak with the deputy, and when questioned, denied that there was any marijuana in the the car. After being told that the deputy could smell it, she stated that there was and walked back to the door of the vehicle and reached behind the front seat and retrieved a plastic baggie that contained approximately 6 grams of marijuana. She stated that she was a legal provider of marijuana for her husband who had a valid medical marijuana card. When asked for her paperwork proving this she stated that it was at her residence. The deputy advised her that based on regulations, medical marijuana and paraphernalia was not to be used or in possession in public, and that when you picked up a supply from a dispensary store, it has to be in a marked container, and is to be taken home. She stated that she didn’t know that, and was advised that it was part of the rules and regulations of having a medical marijuana card. Based on the deputy’s training and experience, the marijuana in the woman’s possession was not purchased at a medical marijuana dispensary. The male passenger also had a marijuana pipe in his pocket. The woman was issued a summons for possession of marijuana and paraphernalia, and the man was issued a summons for possession of paraphernalia.

MONDAY, JUNE 18

A deputy responded to assist another at the scene of a traffic stop on a stolen vehicle on Hwy. 145. The deputy on scene advised the second responder that he believed the driver of the vehicle, an adult female with a California driver’s license, was possibly under the influence of something. The woman was asked to step outside the vehicle to perform some voluntary tasks to determine whether she was under the influence. Prior to having her begin the tasks, she was asked who the male in the car with her was, and stated he was her boyfriend. When asked what his name was, she stated that she really didn’t want to tell the deputy. When asked why, she stated she didn’t want to tell him. The deputy provided the name of the passenger and said that she knew he had a felony parole warrant out of California. The woman said “I don’t want him to know I told you he’s (name),” and was informed that he was going to be arrested. The woman failed tests that indicated she was under the influence of drugs, and she stated that she had chewed on some marijuana leaves the other night and had also shot up some methamphetamine. The deputy observed needle marks on the woman’s arm, and she tested positive for meth and amphetamines in her system. She was charged with DUI drugs. The vehicle the couple was in had been loaned to them by a male county resident who assisted the male in his effort to escape and avoid arrest on his warrant. Deputies were dispatched to his home to arrest him for being an accessory to crime.